• Goal of Reconstruction: Students struggled with seeing Reconstruction as a success. It succeeded at reunited the nation, but utterly failed with regard to Blacks. So we discussed what was the goal of Reconstruction, the students said it was 1. Unity; 2. Recovery; 3. Equality. Problematic indeed. We talked about race and racism and that there was probably never a real chance at equality, and as the next 100 years will show. So we felt as a class, that Unity and Recovery were most likely the main intentions of Reconstruction. (Yes, some simplification here, but I tried to stay out of the discussion as much as possible and only intervened when I felt they were going up the wrong tree, I guess.) Some students overreached and designed plans that were, though thoughtful, not practical for 1860s and 1870s America.
• The End of Reconstruction: [I stole this from Kevin Levin].  I write on the board: “1876: Mission Accomplished.” This gets the intellectual juices flowing and some heady discussion usually follows. You can imagine the topics: Black Codes, Sharecropping, ect. The discussion here was about how the end brings out, perhaps, what the Civil War was about? The end of the fighting and how reconstruction was accomplished can maybe lend some light there?

A final discussion was about the legality of seizing Southern Plantations and giving the land to other people (former slaves). It was mainly one student who decided that as Slavery, though morally wrong, was not illegal when practiced by the South, so therefore did the United States have the right to sieze land? Clearly once the South rebelled they did, however, there was some interesting reasoning, though of course ultimately I don’t think the debate lasted.

All in all some great discussion.

Any thoughts here that I could pass on to my students. This is a very frustrating end to the unit as its hard for them to get past the failure of Reconstruction and focus on understanding what happened and why. Isn’t that the goal, understanding and not judgment? Or is it?

I am making my way through Eric Foner’s excellent book.

–
Eric Foner, Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877 (New York: Harper and Row, 1988).

This extraordinary collection of essays by some of America’s top historians focuses on how African Americans resisted slavery and how they responded when finally free. Ira Berlin sets the stage by stressing the relationship between how we understand slavery and how we discuss race today. The remaining essays offer a richly textured examination of all aspects of slavery in America. John Hope Franklin and Loren Schweninger recount actual cases of runaway slaves, their motivations for escape and the strains this widespread phenomenon put on white slave-owners. Scott Hancock explores how free black Northerners created a proud African American identity out of the oral history of slavery in the south. Edward L. Ayers, William G. Thomas III, and Anne Sarah Rubin draw upon their remarkable Valley of the Shadow website to describe the wartime experiences of African Americans living on both borders of the Mason-Dixon line. Noah Andre Trudeau turns our attention to the war itself, examining the military experience of the only all-black division in the Army of the Potomac. And Eric Foner gives us a new look at how black leaders performed during the Reconstruction, revealing that they were far more successful than is commonly acknowledged–indeed, they represented, for a time, the fulfillment of the American ideal that all people could aspire to political office.

I will be utilizing this excellent book in my A.P. United States history class this coming year. In particular, the essay “The Quest for Freedom: Runaway Slaves and the Plantation South,” by John Hope Franklin and Loren Schweninger. This essay dealt with some interesting topics that could be nicely presented in a lecture or discussion. How the relationships between slave and master, and the measures to which slaves would go to resist slavery, but also the interesting and unspoken rules that some masters had. Neither slave nor master is a caricature in this excellent piece. Slave owners are not always cruel, and sometimes had moral standards. There was a dynamic and layered relationship among slave and master. To be sure, slavery was a brutal and arduous affair and when slaves resisted and escaped, they were usually dealt with severely. So within this essay there are a lot interesting facts, and some great talking points.

-C

Additionally, how did their experiences going South, entering Rebeldom, change their point of view on Negro soldiers, and everything else that was involved in race issues, if at all? For example, here are some quotes from various soldiers from Indiana:

“Mother said she was afraid I would turn to an Abolitionist. If I had been one at home, I have seen enough to make me a Negro hater since I came here.” (Frankfort, Ky., Oct. 15, 1861)

“I suppose you hear plenty of talk about the free negroes I don’t know how the folks like it nor don’t kear [sic] if it will only bring the war to an end any sooner….We are in war and anything to beat the south.” (Jan. 8, 1863, Ft. Barnard, Va.)

“They [sic] is two or three Negro Regts here. They make good Soldiers and save the white soldiers a good deal of hard work. They make a fine appearance on drill. I am in for the Black Soldier. I say bring them on.” (Joseph Hollis, Folly Island, S.C., Sept. 9, 1863)

“Though I live in the negro country, I haven’t changed my opinion of them, only strengthened it. They are not good for anything, unless driven to work, so you don’t need to be afraid that I will fall in love with them, though it is the case with many soldiers.” (Winchester, Tenn., Nov. 6, 1863)

“I seen a new part of the ‘Elephant’ today viz. a squad of Negro soldiers drilling. They did a great deal better than many white troops I have seen with the same opportunities.” (Tullahoma, Tenn., May 31, 1864, p. 142)

“Nearly all the guards along the road are Negroes. They are fine looking soldiers. They always turn out at a present arms when the train passes. Their accouterments and guns are as bright as they can be, and the broad smile that marks their countenances attest their like of the change from Chattels to U.S. soldiers.” (Louisville, Ky., Sept. 17, 1864)

“Up to the time we landed I had not noticed any negro troops, but after we left Akins landing I saw nothing else…They flocked out to see us as we passed, and I never saw a blacker set of Negroes in my life. They beat the ‘Ace of Spades.’” (March 10, 1865)

With these quotes being from different soldiers it’s not possible to measure how they were impacted as they moved South and saw things such as slavery, Southern Women, Southern society, ect., and how that real life, face-to-face exposure impacted them.

If I took 100 or so soldiers and followed their evolution in thinking as they went South, that might make from interesting findings, would it not?

Oh, and if someone has done this please point me in that direction….

Center design of the 6th U.S. Colored Troops regimental flag. The top motto reads, “Freedom for all”. From the Library of Congress Collection.

Anyway, just for kicks I did some google searching for “Confederate Flag” and came across some interesting images of the Southern symbol. Some I selected as they were funny, others not so funny.

What is the flag’s meaning and how important is that when considering its display?  If it is used as in a message of hate, obviously that is rude. If it used as a symbol of the Lost Cause myth, than that is ignorant. However it is used should that even be a determining factor? Anyway, consider each of these below and if you want chime in on what you think the meaning for each is, please do.

Last month members of the University of Alabama’s Kappa Alpha Order participated in a tradition that has produced some controversy. The students dressed in Confederate military uniforms and accompanied by dates dressed in traditional dresses, and attended an Old South event in Shreveport, La. The fraternity traces its roots to the Civil War and Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

According to one person, “…they were being insensitive. I don’t think they understood the broader implications of what they were doing.” According to the article, students and other community members were offended by the sight of “fraternity members in rebel uniforms and white women from another sorority in hoop skirts.”

In respone, Larry Wiese, executive director of the Kappa Alpha Order issued a statement: “Old South celebration, including the parade, has been a Kappa Alpha tradition at Alabama for many years but we are sensitive to the concerns of students, faculty and the community.”

First, lets just set aside the whole Freedom of Expression rights.Therefore, it seems to me there are two ways to view this: 1) the motives of these individuals is pure racism and therefore should be stopped; 2) the motives of these students is to honor history and tradition, and whether we like it or not, the Old South did indeed exist and to disallow such events is to ignore an important aspect of history; albeit a regretable part. Therefore they are simply “reenactors.”

The photo above shows the “reenactors” on their way to the dinner or dance, whatever. I don’t know what side I agree with most.

I can see this issue both ways. A strong argument would be that: would we allow Germans to dress up like Nazi’s and celebrate National Socialism? Obviously not. So does that apply here? You could make a case obviously.

But I think there are other issues as well. I think this would be agreat debate subject in the classroom.

Obadiah Warner, Greenville Ga
Apr 13th 1868
to Hon Hiram Warner, Washington City

Dear Sir

As it is about a week since you left home, I suppose a letter will be acceptable by this time. Ape and I got back all right so for us I could see, about half an hour by sun. The horse don’t seem to be any worse from the trip. Ape took him to town and had his shoes taken off. Coldwell made at least a two hours speech to a large crowd of negroes on Tuesday. I was present a short time. He seemed to have them perfectly under his control and got loud cheers from them whenever he desired which was pretty often. On tuesday morning his effigie was swinging by the neck on one of the trees in the Court house yard. I don’t suppose it had any effect only to make the negroes stick closer to him. After this speaking was over they made a nomination for the Legislature that is for Representatives Dr. Smith of Grantville being already a candidate for Senator, Peter Chambers & Bill Hall were nominated. They for some cause was left off. From what I could gather Coldwell insisted upon the nomination of Chambers, and I suppose Gresham engineered for Hall. I don’t know what they will do. Some who pretend to know, say that he will be an independent Candidate and that on the day of election his name will be on the tickets and run through with Hall and Chambers in that way be tricked out of his election. This may be so, but I should think that Coldwell would be a man they would not like to offend in that way. No county officers were nominated. I suppose Gresham will fix that up. After the negro meeting was over, the white folks had a meeting. I do not know what was done as I was not present only that they nominated George Perry and Dr Taylor of Luthersville for Representatives, and I believe they both accept–

During the evening an unfortunate affair occurred in front of Williams’ Store. It seems that Willie Hussey had a quarrel with a negro man which I believed once belonged to Wm N Forest, in the course of the quarrel the negro cursed Hussey, when Hussey fired at him with a pistol two or three shots, and instead of killing the negro he intended, he killed a negro boy about grown who once belonged to Efraim Moffett, a very well dispersed good negro. I inderstand Every body seems to regret it, and think Hussey to blame. Hussey has left for parts unknown. The negro lived but a few minutes. There is a garrison of about a dozen soldiers here, will stay it is supposed till after the election. They reached here on Tuesday evening of the meeting, so that they must have left Atlanta before the difficulty took place. Alexander the candidate for Congress, Dr Miller and others have an appointment to speak here on next Saturday the 18th Inst. We are all well. Frank commenced planting cotton on last Saturday. We had a pest the other night that killed everything in the garden, but peas beets onions & the fruit is not seriously injured. Write as soon as you recieve this. I hope you have written upon your arrival at Washington.

Yours Truly

Obadiah Warner

Hiram Warner was a Representative from Georgia born in Williamsburg, Hampshire County, Mass., on October 29, 1802. He was appointed by Governor Jenkins as judge of the Coweta Circuit Court and served from 1865 to 1867, when he was appointed chief justice of the State supreme court and was subsequently elected and served until 1880, when he resigned; died in Atlanta, Ga., June 30, 1881; interment in Town Cemetery, Greenville, Meriwether County, Ga.